Sneinton Festival 2012

28/06/2012

Celebrating Olympic Ideals and the Chinese Year of the Dragon. Words: Sarah Townsend

Motormouf will be hosting events in the tents.

So, have you heard the word? The rigorously-vigorously-tested-inextinguishable-indefatigable Olympic Torch is coming to…Sneinton! We hope “The Torch” (a newly revised, feminised Superhero….sorry…that’s the Green Lantern) doesn’t get carried away in its excitement by the rotating sails of the famous Windmill and jettisoned back to Greece (not a great place to be at the moment).

If The Torch can contain itself sufficiently, it will be seen entering Sneinton Market at 8.45pm on Thursday 28 June to help kick off the annual Sneinton Festival, now running into its 17th year. The Festival Week starts on the Saturday prior to the Carnival Day with seven days of FREE events held in and around the area. This year includes:

•an Urban Food Market, an outdoor café, an International Food evening celebrating the area’s diversity with the chance to sample locally prepared (and grown) food from the Caribbean, Poland, Cameroon and China

•live music in Hermitage Square with DJs and lindy hop dancing and music from Lance and Kuldeep

•Party in the Park – family fun, fitness and frolics on King Edward’s Park

•an over 50s night on Tuesday 3 July 2012 at the Sneinton Hermitage Community Centre

•Colwick Woods Gala Day with stalls; entertainment and refreshments

The week culminates on Saturday 7 July (Festival Funday) - commencing with a panoply of fun in the form of the “Olympic Heroes” Carnival Parade led by Nottingham Samba Band and the Olympic Chariot Parade Float – dress to impress as a prize is on offer for the best Olympic themed costume! When the carnival parade arrives at Trickett's Park there will be an afternoon of free and diverse entertainment including: music, poetry and stories, family sports activities & giant lawn games, stunt bike display, yoga, massage, arts and crafts for all ages, wiggle giggle dance for the little people and swing dance lessons for those less little, not forgetting the dance displays to show us how it’s done; and of course a bouncy castle.

From midday until 8pm there will be live music with the Main Stage hosted by Motormouf with acts including: Just James; Breadchasers; Swingbox; Veronica Caine Feat MV3 & Ill Citizen; The Amber Herd; Yoganova and The Meerkats.

The Send Project World Vibes Marquee also featuring Motormouf accompanied by Louis Cypher & 25 Past the Skank guests; Lance Hume and Kuldeep Sing; The Constantines; James Cathchpole; Evil Jack; Fun of the Pier; The Czech Collective; G Do and B dot O. There will be slam poetry from Aly Stoneman & Milk, Panya Banjoko, Mulletproof and Robin Vaughan-Williams. DJs for the day will be Hypnotoad, Miss Bwise, Moonpenguin, DJ Blake and Roman.

Finally, for those of you with boundless energy, there will be a celebratory after party from 7pm till late at The Lord Nelson Pub.

So as well as being the year of the Olympics, 2012 is officially the Chinese year of the dragon, and is said to symbolize strength, health, harmony, and intellectuality - values which the local community of Sneinton prides itself on, amongst others.

Whatever the weather, wherever you live….. come down and join us in a week packed with free fun and frolics…go on, don’t be a “hermit”, whatever your age, come on: “enter the dragon”.

The Sneinton Festival is organised by the independent festival committee, a volunteer group made up of local residents, representatives of local organisations, community groups, schools, church, youth and play groups, artists, musicians, performers and local project workers. All the events are free and open to everyone and endeavour to reflect the diversity of the local community. The week’s events will take place at a variety of venues and locations in and around the local area.